I had to come on here and write a review for how stellar this place is! My friend and I stopped here but seeing a comedy show a few streets down. I really loved the vibe of this place and the staff was absolutely fantastic! We went for happy hour and I got wild mushrooms empanadas that were crispy, crunchy, and filled to the brim! I got their seasonal sangria which had a pineapple flavor and to say it was amazing, is an understatement. that drink was curated into perfection! and oh of course, i had to try their FxF dry rub smoked chicken wings and they were out of this world! Typically I don't go for dry rubs for the aroma and taste really wow-ed me! And not to mention their wings were so trendy and juicy! Definitely check out this place in you're in the area! read more

Fire by Forge - Wild Mushroom Empanada FxF Taco Plate - New American Near Me - Hartford, Connecticut

Great food and menu! Those brussel speouts are dynamite! Just a little noisy but if you go early that helps

FOOD WITH A MISSION. That's what Fire by Forge is at its heart, offering delicious high quality food and beverage and dining experience to the public while also providing on the job training for individuals who would particularly benefit from the experience. I love it!!! If you are passing through Hartford like me, or if you live here in this community, please come support this mission and enjoy a fantastic meal at the same time!! Perfect for dates as well. Shamielle our server was friendly, energetic, and attentive! We ordered the Poached Pear Pisco Sour and the Old Fashioned to start with, followed by the Chicken pot pie and the Smashburger. Every aspect of our meal was fantastic from the presentation to the flavor to the fact that we were completely satisfied even without ordering dessert! (I'll have to try the affogato next time though). read more

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Service: Javon was excellent. Friendly, attentive, and welcoming. Ambiance: spacious, hip, southern vibes. Great for groups. Food: disappointing. The breakfast burrito was a winner, but the steak and eggs that my husband got was so lame and not on par with what we were expecting. It was such a a small portion of steak, and my husband wasn't full afterwards, so I felt awful and gave him my burrito. For these prices, we should each leave stuffed. My son's avocado toast was kind of lame for the price as well. It should really come with the fried eggs for this price! A price of toast with mashed avocado on it for $11 is crazy. Drinks: my chai latte was great. However, my husband ordered a cortado and just got an espresso, and a cold one at that. It also took so long to get, and there was no one else in the entire restaurant so I don't know what took so long to bring it out. read more

Fire by Forge - New American Near Me - Hartford, Connecticut

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Happy to report that all is well at 539 Broad Street. As one whose favorite Hartford restaurant in the aughts was Firebox, I am extremely appreciative that FxF continues to be a worthy successor. We, a duo, arrived promptly for our noon brunch reservation. The Sunday after Thanksgiving meant a brisk business so things were hopping. We were seated right away and my only less than glowing comment with regard to the entire experience is that we sat too long without being acknowledged. Once again I point to my former serving days. Rule #1: even if I can't get to you immediately with water or, better yet, bread if offered, I can greet you. Further, drinks were hard to come by and arrived just before the food. End of mini rant. I take away no stars because our server was friendly and knowledgeable and the food and drink were very pleasing. We split a savory dish, the breakfast sandwich, and a sweet one, the pumpkin French toast. Both were top notch. High marks for the bread, a rustic multigrain affair, and no absolutely no syrup needed for the French toast. The whipped cream with pralines is more than sufficient. Kudos on the fluffy scrambled eggs which were a special request. It's now April, and I forgot to post this, but I'm looking forward to dining there for my birthday in June so here goes. read more

FxF Easter Brunch Tjis place is always delicious and the coffee and service are amazing. But the Easter brunch was on fire!!! Shrimp cocktail mmmm, pork arepas , poblano scalloped potatoes literally to die for, desserts over the top, cinnamon roll french toast... unbelievable! Soooo... good!! Definitely worth your time! And the charitable cause is incredibly worthy. read more

Fire by Forge - New American Near Me - Hartford, Connecticut

I went to Fire By Forge for the first time ever and had brunch on Sunday with a group of five friends. It was such a great experience! The atmosphere, the vibe, the service, the music, and most importantly the food was excellent. I had the Ruby's Morning Wake-Up breakfast sandwich with the hash brown and it was super tasty. The cinnamon roll was warm and delicious and I loved the variety of the drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic). I had the Bitter Island gin drink and it was well balanced and was a perfect brunch drink. The restaurant's mission alone is a great reason to go to Fire by Forge, but that in combination that the food and service is great makes it my new favorite brunch spot and would highly recommend! read more

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If you've been looking for Happy Hour in Hartford with authentic charm, good vibes, great bites, fantastic drinks, and passionate baristas, look no further. Fire by Forge is really what cookie cutter restaurants are imitating. Those bricks on the wall are real, and so is the staff. Everyone from the bartender, to the manager, to the servers; not only greeted us but made us feel like family. By the end I was happy to contribute extra gratuity to a fantastic concept! Did I mention the mushroom empanadas had so much flavor you'd think they had meat in them, the oysters were fresh (and shucked), and the tacos were mouth watering! The only dissatisfaction I have is with knowing it will be harder for me to find a spot at the bar after this review! Don't you forget about me read more

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This mission driven restaurant serves excellent and creative brunch food that is super friendly for vegetarians! Budget for a longer meal since the delicious food does sometimes take a while to come out. Each of the dishes we ordered had great depths of flavor. For example, the banana bread French toast somehow managed to keep the expected French toast texture with a cake as the base and was loaded with banana flavor. The huevos rancheros had excellent sauces served on plantain tostones, which was a unique vehicle. We dined on the patio on a sunny weekend afternoon, and because of the shade from the awning, it was perfectly cool and comfortable. The setting, with brick buildings lining both sides of the street, framed against the blue sky, was very lovely. You can't reserve the patio online but they were happy to take a note about it when I called. Every employee at the restaurant, from the host to the server, were warm and welcoming. They really made us feel right at home. A great restaurant shines when things don't go to plan just as much as when things are on track. I think because this restaurant is a training center, it takes quite a while for food to come out - however, in our case, it was close to an hour after we sat down because their waffle mix had run out). The staff were very apologetic and took care of the dish without us even asking - they handled the situation professionally and in a way that assured us that our satisfaction was a priority. Overall we had a great experience here and are excited to return to try other meals! read more

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It's quickly apparent that the staff here takes pride in their work. Everyone had a positive attitude and looked to be having a good time - despite how busy they were. We sat at the bar and were greeted instantly by a bartender with water and menus. The ambiance inside is comfortable and welcoming. We started with drinks that were made well and priced fairly. I appreciate that the menu is on the smaller side - they stick to what they're good at. All the starters sounded delicious so we ended up ordering a few instead of dinner plates. Tbh, the prices of the dinner items turned me away from considering them based on the pricing alone. $40 for scallops or short ribs at a casual restaurant seemed a bit much. Everything we tried tasted great. The best flavor came from the mushroom empanadas! Definitely share them with someone tho because they are RICH. Overall we had a really nice time and would like to return for breakfast and happy hour with a larger group. * One small thing to note: the restaurant AND the fire alarm is connected to apartments. And if the alarm goes off in any other part of the building it goes off here too. We had to evacuate into the rain during our meal. They said it's only happened once before but this is definitely something that needs to be addressed. They did offer a generous discount for the inconvenience which was appreciated but I felt like it still had to be mentioned. read more

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Went to Fire x Forge last evening and it was amazing. What an incredible cause and experience. First of all the space is stunning. It's incredible to see the restoration of a historic building. We had reservations and were seated promptly. Our server Shamille was attentive, made great suggestions and took care in explaining the mission and impact they are having on the community. The food: -Biscuits were TOP NOTCH. The warm flavors and flakiness were to die for. -The hummus was also amazing. Perfect seasoning and flavors. Lavender lemonade? So Good! -All of the mains were good; we had the ribs, beef shoulder, Mahi with banana leaf and mahi tacos. Flavors were good, albeit spicy on a couple. -The ají verde sauce is no joke lol definitely has a kick. For the kitchen: larger pieces of fish, a slaw or cilantro crema and cotija would elevate the tacos. The flavors were good, but the taco was a little empty. Also perhaps drops of the verde sauce on the ribs versus a drizzle to tone down the heat so nothing takes away from the flavor which was amazing by the way. Epically delicious! Desserts: -The cheesecake was nice, soft and not too sweet. -The marshmallow was like a mochi. You had to chew it well before swallowing but it was well executed and delicious. -The sweet potato cobbler would probably be better as a crisp with an herbed streusel. The ice cream was amazing! All in all it was SO WORTH it. Everyone did a fantastic job and we were so proud of the work they all are doing. We will definitely recommend to others and will return. read more

Food- 4/5 Service- 5/5 Ambiance- 4/5 The food was great. Initially my Ruby sandwich came out with a runny egg which wasn't indicated on the menu. The service was excellent because a waitress addressed it right away and the second egg came out perfect!! The waffle was perfectly cooked and they obliged my request for the toppings on the side. I was traveling so I had the lavender lemonade in the restaurant and on the road and it was delicious! Very refreshing!! It was very quiet when my friend arrived, about 2 tables were sat so we were seated right away. I'd def return and try more things on their menu and I also like the idea that their monies appear to go to their employees for living wages. read more

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I finally visited Hartford's Fire by Forge for the first time, and I was excited to learn that one of my favorite area chefs Van Hurd had recently become Executive Chef and Culinary Instructor. Van knows food and has worked at CT restaurants many of us love. If you don't know, Fire by Forge is a beloved Pan American restaurant in an iconic building in Frog Hollow. In partnership with Forge City Works, they also provide job training and experience for people with barriers to employment. Great mission. Great food. I sat in the bar. The bar area has very high ceilings and lots of natural light. There was a great sense of community in the bar area. The FxF crew knew many of the customers and there was good chemistry. Service was very kind and inclusive. People ordered coffee and pastries to go while I sat at the bar. My Argentinian Choripan sausage sandwich with juicy chorizo and chimichurri on a perfectly griddled Asiago roll was delicious. It was literally bursting with flavor. The saltiness was well balanced with acidity. The inside of the roll had a great crisp, presumably from being grilled in oil. Nice touch. The Knife Skills soup is a hearty tomato-based vegetable soup that utilizes the veggies from culinary training. A little sweet. A little acidic. Full of veggies! I'm all the way in on Fire by Forge. I'll be returning for lunch, dinner, brunch, happy hour, coffee and pastries. Fantastic addition to Hartford. 5 Stars read more

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ample of free parking on the side! beautiful location, tall ceilings, great break, decorated well. seated immediately on a saturday morning for brunch. they were pretty packed too! i had a maria bloody mary. i wouldnt get this again, but it had a nice kick and was made well. i just feel like it was a 1 and done for me. however, it was strong and woke me up. my date had the avocado toast with a fried egg and smoked salmon. this was only one slice of bread, but it was loaded. steep in price, but great flavor and filling. the egg sando is a must get. the toast is big and buttery, just enough cheese, great flavor and i loved the chilli mayo that was on it. they do add 2 extra fees for your bill, basically an instant tip and another fee which goes back into their staff and helps others. you can choose to add an additional tip or not which will go directly to your server. read more

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This is why I use Yelp. I'm in an unfamiliar city, looking for a great place to grab a weekday brunch, and I never would've found Fire by Forge on my own. Happy I did, because I love this place. It's bright and airy, with super high ceilings and the right vibe. We dealt with several different folks on staff (shoutout to Alba and Juan specifically), and everyone was laid back, cool, and knowledgeable about the place and the menu. Nothing but friendly, attentive service. My dining companion was already getting what by all accounts was an incredible vanilla bourbon latte when I arrived. I'm not a coffee guy, but I would've gotten one if it had actual bourbon in it. Just kidding around,* it was the morning of a workday. We then split the chicken and waffles, as well as the Ruby's Morning Wake Up (two eggs, brown sugar candied bacon, cheddar, chili honey cream cheese, all piled on cranberry walnut bread). This is one of those situations in which I'm SO GLAD I was with a sharer, because both were bangin', and I am happy I got to try them. Seriously, this food is lights out. And while I think we made the best decisions possible, I doubt there's anything bad at a place with this much quality. _______________ *Not kidding. read more

Fire by Forge - Chicken and Waffles - New American Near Me - Hartford, Connecticut

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Ambiance good Service good Good I had waffle and chicken. The chicken was very well seasoned. The waffle was rubbery. I didn't think it was enough for the cost. read more

I can't believe it's taken me so long to visit FxF! The staff is so friendly and personable from the moment you walk in. Juan was our waiter and was very attentive and put me on to the vanilla bourbon latte which was heavenly. I'm a sucker for chicken and waffles so naturally I gravitated there and was obsessed!! We shared the chicken and waffles and the Ruby's morning wake up sandwich which was also tasty. I tried the chocolate chip bacon cookie but it wasn't for me. The space is beautiful and great for working as a few people were during my visit. The environment was quiet and comfortable. I'm looking forward to the next visit! They've also just started brunch on Sundays. read more

Fire by Forge - Bar area - New American Near Me - Hartford, Connecticut

I've been hearing a lot of hype and had to check it out for myself. There were 2 of us in our group, We had a reservation but saw open seats at the bar and that's always my go to seat when alone or with a few so we bellied up there. Made it for the last stretch of happy hour so threw back an old fashioned or two. Bartenders were both attentive but not hovering, drinks came pretty quickly! Great craft cocktails! I had the Ruby's Mac with Pork, served in a piping hot skillet, this was thick, creamy, perfect ratio for the way I like my Mac and Cheese. Just the right portion size, not enough for leftovers but I wasn't hungry after. My friend had ordered the Salmon, honey black garlic glaze, it was plated so simple but eye catching! I can't personally tell you how it tasted but I can tell you there was none left and he's gonna make the drive from MA again to bring his wife! I grabbed a pistachio and mandarin salad to go for my other half, I did steal a bite, and would order for myself! Only regret was not trying more, I guess that means it's going to be a return visit soon! read more

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Very cute place love the atmosphere. Service although was absolutely horrible. After 15min being there I had to ask if I could get a drink. Always felt like I was bothering the server if I asked for something. Didn't appreciate the built in tip feature, you need better servers for that. read more

My fellow board members and I had dinner at Fire by Fodge and this was my first time having dinner here. I've been to this location several times but that's when it was the Kitchen. I got there around 5:45pm and we got seated in the back as we were a party of 12. We had a pre fix menu which made it easy to order. I got the knife skills heart vegetable soup for my starter and bronzed salmon as an entree. Our food came out relatively quickly and everything was great. The service was good, and would have been better but our waitress was quite tepid but again, it was a large party and the restaurant was busy. Definitely look forward to coming back again. read more

Fire by Forge - New American Near Me - Hartford, Connecticut

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A fantastic restaurant concept. Execution had a few very minor hiccups, for instance, some of the recipes were a little fussy, but the fish tacos were fantastic. Certainly accommodating of special dietary needs as well. read more

This is the kind of place you wish you had gone to with a crowd so you could sample more dishes. Everything was a delight. The Mahi Mahi tacos started with a strip of the meat rather than little chucks, so the fish could stand out as the foundation and not be lost in the excellent toppings. Generally, I am ready for the Brussel sprout fade to end - but please keep these on the menu. Excellent. The pumpkin-sweet potato bisque made with coconut milk was a treat for someone forced off of dairy by an allergy. The service was attentive and the restaurant attractive. Finally, we have found a place to go when we must overnight between DC and central Maine! read more

Modern American restaurant with delicious food but an even better mission This place employs people who have barriers that prevent them from obtaining other jobs (such as previous incarcerations), and they teach them culinary and front-of house skills. They also compensate their workers very fairly, and waiters/waitresses all make minimum wage in addition to whatever they earn in tips. Additionally, tip is already included in the bill but you also have an option to leave an additional tip that goes directly to your server Have an eclectic, but comprehensive, list of foods and drinks. I got a mule cocktail and it was incredibly delicious. I also split a variety of dishes (Brussel sprouts, nachos, mac-n-cheese) with both my mom and GF, and they were all fantastic as well. read more

Fire by Forge - New American Near Me - Hartford, Connecticut

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A restaurant with a great mission and delicious food/drinks! I came here on a Thursday happy hour and did the $1 oysters along with various other menu items. I got pork bao, pernil taco and mushroom empanadas which came with 2. I did two margaritas, one papaya and one guava flavored. Everything was so delicious but I was surprisingly impressed with how good the mushroom empanadas were! Friendly staff and everyone makes sure to greet you. Lots of seating in the bar and patio area. read more

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Very solid food, good prices, well designed and plenty of seating. Couple missteps on food, but nothing too bad. Came here because we looked up the location and were very intrigued on their story and how they conduct business. We came to this location for a dinner because of a local soccer match, and wanted to give them a try. The place is decked out pretty nicely. there was plenty of high-tops and seats. We took the couch, because why not? The server was very courteous and was able to get us answers to all of our questions. Because they had a happy hour, there was a lot of small plates that were fairly cheap. So I said, "why not? let's do them all!" And thus, we ordered the entire happy hour menu. Plus drinks, because why not? I saw a monster cappuccino on the drink menu, how big could it be? Throw that on there, and a lavender ice tea with lemonade for the girlfriend. Let the record show that I am not the smartest man. Well, we did manage to try everything at least. So in comes a conga line of servers all delivering 8 plates of food to us, plus a nice lavender ice tea for my girlfriend and a decently sized soup bowl with a handle which was my cappuccino. Very impressive service, very impressive portions. I was thinking little bites given the price point, turns out they are actually pretty decently sized for the money. The best bites came from the shrimp taco, the biscuits, the philly empanada, and the elote fried yucca. The shrimp were cooked perfectly, seasoned well and had a nice slaw to bulk it out. the Biscuits were drizzled with honey and pared with a chive and chipolte butter. gave it a sweet heat with a grassy savoryness. It was a very tasty combo. The elote fried yucca was cooked long enough to make the tough yucca edible. the salt from the cojita cheese, the fresh corn, the light aoli, and pickled onions gave everything a very well balanced and tasty bite. The philly empanada had the right mix of onion, shaved steak, and cheese to get that traditional philly flavor profile, but in a portable shell The rest of the tacos were pretty well balanced, but the biggest detractor was the tortilla was pretty hard and not very malleable. made each bite pretty messy. The tempeh and chicken had good maranades and bbq sauces pared with them, but were dry. The pork belly was a tad too sweet, needed a salt or savory bump to counteract the sweet. The fried chicken biscuits were okay. the chicken was overbreaded and cooked pretty hard. the house pickle was a little light and the garlic mayo and hot honey got lost in the mix. Wasn't as strong of a bite as I would've liked. The monster cappuccino, although ridiculously impressive in size was actually very difficult to hold and manage. It was a gigantic coffee, filled to the brim with foamed milk and espresso. It was a very solid coffee though, just needed to be a little bit less filled so one can drink it. The price was actually fairly inexpensive. For everything, including the drinks, came out to 50 bucks. It's a lot of food, and more than enough for what you get. I also appreciate that they very blatantly specify that there is an 18% extra tacked on which covers ensuring that the staff get paid a living wage which itemizes what percentage of that extra goes to what. given that I would've tipped 20% anyways, it took the pressure off when it came to paying the bill. It was a very interesting and fun experience. I won't be ordering everything off the happy hour menu again, but I will consider hunting this place down to try some of their dinner fare. Worth a try, worth hunting down! read more

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Really good food the service is lacking tho, had three different servers that all took 15+ minutes to bring more water etc...

Really lovely experience here! Husband and I tried it here on a Saturday evening for dinner. Service was attentive, not too crowded, vibes were friendly. -Drinks - we both shared a salsa daiquiri and dionysian delight. Both had good complexity of flavor and were a lot of fun. -Apps - we shared the biscuits and sticky ribs. Still drooling about them both. -Dinner - we shared the plant-based "crab" cakes. I honestly forgot until writing this that they were plant-based! Cooked perfectly, seasoned well, would get again. Really enjoyed our experience, will be back with friends soon! read more

This was our first time dining here. The restaurant was very spacious and new. The service was excellent. Our server was very upbeat and attentive. The food was excellent as well. We ordered the cod and the short rib. Both were excellent. We also ordered the mushroom empanadas and those were fantastic as well. We would definitely come back again. read more

Fire by Forge - Cod - New American Near Me - Hartford, Connecticut

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What a great little modern chic eatery. The service was delightful and knowledgeable, pleasant and happy that you were there. We came on a Saturday evening and ordered the happy hour menu. A la carte tacos, empanadas, and biscuit sliders. Overall the best of the best was the shrimp tacos, the elote fries, and the biscuits.... Oh my lord the biscuits!!! We will definitely be back for a dinner and a brunch. I am interested to see the quality of the entrees - but from a happy hour perspective this is a great go-to location. Also love the messaging and branding. Read the small print :) read more

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We came here for the first time for Sunday brunch and it was so good. The menu and wait staff confirmed that chicken is halal which is so great to see inclusivity. The chicken and waffles were so good, the waffle had a unique savory taste to it. I had the tiramisu iced latte which tasted exactly like tiramisu. Be aware that they add an 18% service charge to your bill, and that brunch time is super busy so it may take a while to get your food. We waited for a long time but our waitress kept checking on us and was very apologetic. The decor is really cute and there is a lot of seating, but reservations are recommended for busy weekend brunch. read more

Fire by Forge - Chicken and waffles - New American Near Me - Hartford, Connecticut

After I visited for dinner with fellow Yelper Karen C a couple of weeks ago - I thought I was good to write a review BUT as fate would have it life got in the way. Well - I had the pleasure to dine at Fire by Forge AGAIN yesterday for lunch and not that I will forget either meal I feel that it is now appropriate for a review. WOW - the former location of Firebox has transformed itself and I am totally here for it. First off let me say that but times I went here I had the nicest servers who both loved not only the restaurant but its mission. When I visited the first time - the liquor license had not been approved but they had a solid mocktail menu and BOYB. After my visit - the server messaged me on IG to let me know once that license went through. Yesterday's server was equally nice and during both visits their excitement for the menu was palpable. For dinner, I tried the pickled fried green tomatoes and the special of the night which was a charred octopus. I love anything pickled so this was a winner for me and the portion was substantial enough that I probably could have ordered it for my main. I love octopus and my friend who had never had octopus threw caution to the wind and ordered it as well. She is now a fan - which is a testament to the kitchen because octopus can be hit or miss depending on how long it's cooked for. For lunch, I was greeted with a bowl of lightly pickled veggies while I perused the menu. I ordered the Smoked Salmon bowl and asked for a side of seaweed salad (which is part of the poke bowl on the menu.) Service was fast (I came during lunch) and it seemed that the word was getting out as the dining room was well attended. Again - the bowl was top-notch. Not overly dressed - it was a perfect combo of flavor for a hot day. They had a gazpacho as a special, which I was considering but hopefully it will be on the menu when I most definitely return now that patio seating and Happy Hour will be returning soon. Of note, - gratuity is added to the bill before you receive it. It is mentioned on the menu but it threw me for a loop when I got it. Kudos to Fire x Forge for taking the guess work out of graditude and making sure all their employees keep putting out delicous and motherwatering food. read more

Fire by Forge - New American Near Me - Hartford, Connecticut

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amazing start to finish. we started with martinis and wings - loved the entrees and the desserts were bangin' too. not to be missed was the outstanding service though. every single person we encountered was an absolute pleasure - we cannot wait to come back again! - so fondly - Alison and robyn read more

Fire by Forge - New American Near Me - Hartford, Connecticut

We're all familiar with the story of FbF. What's truly remarkable is the level of service and the detailed descriptions provided by the staff when you place an order. When we walked in I witnessed the bartender mixing it like a pro! Our waitress (I regret I can't recall her name) demonstrated genuine passion and took her time explaining our dishes and cocktails. She even welcomed us with glasses of champagne for our anniversary, something we haven't experienced in Connecticut for quite a while. This really sets them apart. We will be back for sure. read more

Fire by Forge - Peruvian Chicken/ yummy and crispy - New American Near Me - Hartford, Connecticut

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Whenever I get the opportunity to go to Fire by Forge, I'm always excited to get great food for a great cause. Whether it's lots of options at happy hour or brunch that my husband and I still talk about, or dinner specials that make me indecisive, I love having lots to choose from. For brunch, my partner and I always rave about the waffle and the different variations on it that Fire by Forge and its chefs whip up. I loved the combination of flavors in Ruby's Morning Sando, especially adding in that hash brown as an extra. Recently we enjoyed a team dinner there and got to have the scallop special. Not only were the scallops cooked perfectly to where I had to refrain from licking my plate, the staff was very attentive to my allergy and gave me lots of options. In fact, I may have liked the potato cakes as my side better than the original risotto that it came with. Always happy to hear the specials which are market based. The space is much larger than what meets the eye and really gives Hartford positive vibes. I ended up getting dessert to go and I couldn't tell you how the fit between cookie dough empanadas and raspberries works, but it really does! I know I'll be back to try more; I've already come back a few times wanting to try everything and withholding myself from ordering the whole menu. Absolutely worth checking out and seeing what a great organization paired with great food can do. read more

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The food, drinks and service is always great here. Highly recommend this spot for a casual get together or date.

Needing to find breakfast on our drive up to Vermont, I came across this place thanks to Yelp reviews. The service and food were phenomenal. The vibe is definitely upscale, and there were some people working and others there having meals. We chose to sit at the bar, because we were exhausted after the first portion of our drive and we always like to see what happens behind the scenes. Our server was Benny and he was fantastic! It was clear he knows his regulars and it was cool to see him greeting people by their name. My husband ordered the huevos rancheros and he said these were easily some of the best huevos rancheros he's ever had -- and he's had a lot of them! I got a breakfast sandwich - scrambled eggs and cheddar on a croissant - and mine was well made and the croissant tasted fresh. It was crisped nicely and balanced the sandwich well! I got a tiramisu iced latte and guava and cheddar scone to go for our drive up, and the tiramisu latte was well crafted and tasty. The scone though was OUT OF THIS WORLD. I honestly wish I had tried more of their pastries because what I had tried was great. If we're ever in the Hartford area again, we'll most definitely stop here. P.S. I love that there is a mandatory service charge to give their workers a living wage. I honestly wish more restaurants did this, so major props to the Fire by Forge team! read more

We had a team event there on a Wednesday evening (10 people). Everything was slow - from getting water on the table, ordering THEN getting drinks. Food took 45 minutes to get, some dishes were clearly sitting there as they were cold, dry. It was bad enough that the table's appetizer and three meals were taken off of the bill. read more

What a nice experience we had here tonight. The food was excellent and the service was great. Friendly staff and a positive non profit focus. Would definitely return. read more

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The whole idea behind this 'not-for-profit' restaurant will keep me coming back. And the menu for brunch was exceptional. I dined with 5 friends to celebrate a birthday. Our server was friendly and on top of things. Great food and as a vegetarian it was particularly appealing. Definitely plan to return! read more

You owe it to yourself to pay a visit to Fire by Forge a visit. If not for the amazing food and drinks, you should go for the friendly service and the amazing cause they support. Fire by Forge is the spot you want to be at for a nice dinner or a drink at the bar. We came here for date night and were treated like superstars. Our server recommend some amazing drinks. I had the blood moon cowboy and my wife had the smoked fig daiquiri after seeing someone at the bar order a drink that was set on fire. My wife had the poached pear pisco sour and the Rosie Paloma. We had the fried green tomatoes which had an amazing sauce and the breading was crunchy and delicious. For my entree I had the FxF smash burger and it was everything good about smash burgers. Crispy crust, juicy patty and the bib lettuce and cheese blend to make everything come together nicely. My wife had the bronzed salmon and the sauce was amazing. The salmon paired with the cranberry chutney was a welcome addition while the risotto tied it all together. While the food was great what I enjoyed most was the attention to detail of the staff and the ability to support a great cause. The bartender spoke with such passion about how the work of Fire by Forge helps people and how they've even benefited as well. I will be returning for the brunch and I look forward to being blown away again. read more

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